Belfast named as the city with the sweetest tooth

Belfast has topped a survey to find out which British city has the sweetest tooth, with 83% of its residents consuming cake and biscuits every day.

With the Great British Bake Off back on television screens, the Oral Health Foundation sought to find out which city gave in to their sweet tooth cravings the most.

Norwich and Liverpool residents came in a close second with 74% of their residents treating themselves to a sugary treat on a daily basis.

‘We all love a sweet treat from time-to-time but having them too often can very quickly mean bad news for our health,’ Dr Nigel Carter OBE, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, said.

‘Sugar reduces our body’s ability to feel full, leaving us with an unquenchable hunger and leading to such problems as weight gain and obesity.

‘Excessive consumption of sugar over long periods of time can also lead to increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

‘Sugar is also one of the main causes of tooth decay.

‘Every time we eat something sugary our teeth come under acid attack, snacking often throughout the day means multiple attacks and our teeth can take a real battering, often leading to tooth decay.’

Child decay

On average, more than six out of ten (61%) Brits consume cake or biscuits every day.

The residents who were most resistant to sweet treats were found in Aberdeen (46%), followed by Oxford (47%) and Nottingham (52%)

The Oral Health Foundation has used the figures to highlight how they could be linked to an increase in the number of five-year-olds experiencing tooth decay and a rise in the number of children needing tooth extractions.

‘We have seen these numbers consistently increase over the last five years but little has been done to address it,’ said Dr Carter.

‘We have to remember that every single case of tooth decay and every rotten tooth that is removed from our mouth is entirely preventable.

‘The NHS is now spending around £35 million a year purely removing children’s teeth as a result of decay.

‘We have to improve our knowledge of the appalling health implications of excessive sugar.